omochi stamp

Care Guide πŸ“–

Tools & Care

Hello β€” I'm omochi, a hand-carved eraser stamp maker in Japan.

β€œWhat knife is that?” and β€œwhich ink do you use?” are the two questions I get most. So here is everything β€” the tools, and how I look after them.

Three rules

Storage

🚫

Keep them off bare plastic

Some plastics (PVC, PS) react with eraser rubber and turn it sticky. Paper, wood or PP boxes are safe.

πŸ“„

Slip a sheet of paper between them

Stacking carved faces directly against each other damages the fine lines.

β˜€οΈ

Avoid heat, sunlight and damp

Never a hot car or next to a heater. Shade, room temperature and low humidity are best.

Mine live in a polypropylene case, lined with a sheet of paper.

Instagram Reel

Storing stamps in a 100-yen shop case

The SIKIRI0 case from a Japanese 100-yen shop turns out to be the perfect stamp drawer.

Watch on Instagram β†’

Instagram Reel

Storage experiment results

πŸ₯Ό I left stamps in a storage room all summer to see what different storage methods really do.

Watch on Instagram β†’

About

SEED β€œHorunavi”

Material
SEED Horunavi, two-layer rubber
Why I like it
Carved lines stay visible; firm enough to print cleanly

This is the carving block I use for almost everything. It is sold mainly in Japan β€” see the shopping section below if you are outside Japan.

The five inks I use

Ink Guide

Iromoyou

γ„γ‚γ‚‚γ‚ˆγ† / Shachihata

Type
Oil-based pigment
Smell
Almost odourless
Surfaces
Paper β—Ž / Fabric β–³
Drying
About 10 sec on plain paper

VersaCraft β€” Koma Keiko

γƒγƒΌγ‚΅γ‚―γƒ©γƒ•γƒˆ / Tsukineko

Type
Water-based pigment
Smell
Odourless
Surfaces
Fabric β—Ž / Wood β—Ž / Paper β—Ž
Drying
Iron 30 sec to set on fabric

Soramame

そらまめ / Tsukineko

Type
Water-based pigment
Smell
Odourless
Surfaces
Paper β—Ž / Fabric β—Ž
Drying
Iron 30 sec to set on fabric

StazOn β€” Onamae

ステむズγ‚ͺン / Tsukineko

Type
Solvent pigment
Smell
Noticeable solvent smell
Surfaces
Metal β—Ž / Plastic β—Ž / Fabric β—―
Drying
A few seconds to 1 min

⚠️ Can bleed on fabric β€” test on a scrap first.

Delicata

デγƒͺγ‚«γƒΌγ‚Ώ / Tsukineko

Type
Metallic water-based pigment
Smell
Odourless
Surfaces
Paper β—Ž / Wood β—Ž
Drying
Air dry 10–15 min
Free DownloadInk colour chartsPrintable sheets to stamp your own swatches β€” 12 kinds, free

How to get a clean print

  1. 1

    Load the ink by tapping gently β€” dab, don't rub or press hard.

  2. 2

    Once the stamp is on the paper or fabric, press evenly with your body weight and hold for 2–3 seconds.

  3. 3

    For large stamps, work the pressure from the centre out to every edge.

  4. 4

    VersaCraft inks (Koma Keiko / Soramame) need an iron after stamping on fabric so the colour won't wash out.

Instagram Reel

Setting fabric prints with an iron

After stamping on fabric, press for 15 seconds through a cloth. That is what makes the colour stay.

Watch on Instagram β†’

After you stamp

Cleaning

Water-based

Water-based pigment ink

Iromoyou / Koma Keiko / Soramame / Delicata

  1. 1Stamp onto scrap paper until most of the ink is used up.
  2. 2Wipe the carved face gently with a wet wipe.
  3. 3If colour remains, wash gently with a mild neutral detergent.
  4. 4Pat dry and let it air out fully before storing.

Solvent

Solvent ink

StazOn

  1. 1Wipe the ink off with the dedicated StazOn cleaner.
  2. 2Wipe again with water (a wet wipe works well) to remove the cleaner.
  3. 3Air dry in a well-ventilated place.

Storage at a glance

Checklist

Do

Good habits

  • βœ“Paper boxes, wooden boxes, PP cases
  • βœ“Shade, room temperature, low humidity
  • βœ“A sheet of paper between stacked stamps

Don't

Best avoided

  • βœ•PVC / PS cases and tins
  • βœ•A hot car or next to a heater
  • βœ•Stacking carved faces directly together
  • βœ•Storing while ink is still on the stamp

Please keep in mind

Safety

  • πŸ‘ΆStore out of reach of small children.
  • πŸŒ€Solvent ink: ventilate well and keep away from flame.
  • 🩹If ink contacts skin or eyes, rinse with running water and seek advice if needed.
  • πŸͺNever use on food β€” no stamping cookie dough, bread or tableware.

None of these inks are food-safe.

And where to find them

My Tools

ℹ️ This page contains affiliate links. Prices and stock are shown on the shop pages. These are simply the shops I buy from myself.

Ships worldwide

🌏 Available from Amazon Japan

Amazon Japan ships these abroad directly. Shipping is charged per order β€” around Β₯2,600 and up β€” so ordering several things together is much better value. Availability changes over time, so please check on the product page.

Japan only

πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅ Domestic shops β€” use a forwarder

These are Rakuten shops that ship inside Japan only. If you live in Japan you can order directly; from abroad, a forwarding service below can buy and re-ship them for you.

  • SEED Horunavi A6 β€” Yellow

    The carving block I use most

    Rakuten β†’

  • SEED Horunavi BB β€” Brown base

    Easier to see your carved lines

    Rakuten β†’

  • SEED Horunavi NK β€” Firm, natural (20 pcs)

    Firmer block, bulk pack

    Rakuten β†’

  • Michihamono RABBY carving set (3 pcs, S type)

    Made for eraser carving

    Rakuten β†’

  • Power Grip round-bottom V gouge 1.5 mm

    For the finest lines

    Rakuten β†’

  • OLFA Designers Knife 216BBK

    My second knife

    Rakuten β†’

  • VersaCraft S β€” Koma Keiko, full 30-colour set

    The whole palette in one box

    Rakuten β†’

  • Delicata L

    Metallic, with a fine shimmer

    Rakuten β†’

  • StazOn Onamae β€” White

    Opaque white on dark surfaces

    Rakuten β†’

  • StazOn stamp cleaner

    Needed for solvent ink

    Rakuten β†’

  • Iromoyou refill ink 8 mL (34 colours)

    Refill for the Iromoyou pads

    Rakuten β†’

Forwarding services

Getting Japan-only items shipped to you

πŸ’‘ Carving blocks are the one thing that is hard to get outside Japan. If forwarding feels like too much, Speedball Speedy-Carve and similar carving blocks sold in your country work well too β€” the carving technique is exactly the same.

⬇️ Re-inking, in real time

Instagram Reel

StazOn β€” topping up with a re-inker

Careful not to swap the lids between colours, or you end up mixing them by accident.

Watch on Instagram β†’

Instagram Reel

VersaCraft β€” reviving a tired pad

Biscuit colour, brought back to life. A wet wipe first, then five rounds of re-inker.

Watch on Instagram β†’

Maker pages (Japanese)

Official

SEED Horunavi

The carving blocks I use

Visit β†’

Shachihata Iromoyou

Oil-based pigment ink pads

Visit β†’

Tsukineko ink chart

VersaCraft / Soramame / StazOn / Delicata

Visit β†’

Instagram

See it actually happen

Carving, inking, cleaning β€” the daily videos live on Instagram.

@omochi_stamp_japanPosting daily

Any questions? Just ask.

A DM on Instagram or an email is always welcome.

πŸ’¬Email omochi

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